How To Do Conscious Movement

I used to say, once you know the work you have a big problem, you know the work. When you know the work, you DO the work…and that’s the problem.

Even though your workout is always 4 sets of 10 and your warm-up is always Gyrotonic hanging and the Pilates spine twist, it should never be business as usual with your training.

Each time you approach your warm-up or sets of exercises, you need to think about them as individual opportunities to tap into your body at that moment. This is how dancers train, consciously moving, perfecting each exercise, finding newness and beauty in repetition.

Doing Pilates, Gyrotonic, yoga, or dance is an opportunity to tap into how your body feels and how you feel about how your body feels. Each session is a chance to connect with now; at this time, in this place, never to be repeated or replicated ever again.

To get into the idea of mindful training, treat each repetition as one alone. Train in sets the same way, one set at a time. When approaching a set of exercises, don’t take on the set as work to try to get through. Think of the set as one exercise at a time, and try to perfect each exercise. When you feel fatigued slow down, instead of the natural tendency to speed up. Use your breath to guide and energize you. Float each repetition on every breath. Follow the cues, and try to do each cue with each exercise.

This work is meant for you to connect with the now. Working in sets and reps can tend to lead you astray from this sense of now. I can take you away from your body and into your head.

Moving consciously and training mindfully will help you be more present in your day, body, and inevitably in your life.